According to an analysis by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), children in India received the lowest budgetary allocation in 11 years in the Union Budget 2023. Despite significant steps taken in the direction of child development, various challenges persist in meeting the special needs of children.
Budgeting for Children: Overview
Budget allocation for children by the Indian Government began in 2008 with the publication of the first-ever Child Budget Statement. Since then, several states have also adopted this practice. The total allocation for children in Union Budget 2023 amounts to Rs. 92,736.5 crore, representing an increase of 8.19% compared to the previous year’s budget. However, the budget allocation for children only constitutes 2.35% of the total Union Budget for the fiscal year 2022-23, marking a decrease of 0.11%.
Sector-wise Allocation Analysis
Examining specific sectors within the child allocation reveals divergent trends. For child health, the budget has decreased by 6.08%, with pivotal schemes such as the NRHM-RCH Flexi Pool experiencing reduced allocation. This scheme is crucial in strengthening health systems and addressing reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health needs.
Child development programmes have encountered a drop of 10.97% in allocation, impacting supplementary nutrition and daycare services. Notably, Poshan 2.0—a scheme providing integrated benefits for women and children—received no fresh funds. The Pradhan Matri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) programme received a flat budget of Rs 10,234 crore compared to the previous year. On the other hand, the share for child education witnessed a slight increase, and the ‘One class, one TV channel’ programme of PM eVIDYA will expand its reach.
Child Protection and Welfare Funding
Funding for child protection and welfare schemes under the Ministry of Women and Children’s Mission Vatsalaya increased by 65%. However, this is still less than the Rs. 15,000 crore allocation in 2019-2020 before the scheme’s restructuring.
Challenges with Child Budgeting
The practice of budgeting for children is perceived as an annual accounting exercise rather than a tool to plan and execute effective interventions for children. State governments, responsible for implementing many critical schemes for children, have often failed to embrace this responsibility. Additionally, there exists a lack of standardisation of norms among government entities for reporting in their Child Budget Statement (CBS).
The State of Children in India
Recent surveys present a mixed picture on child health and nutrition in India. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) Round 5 showed a decline in child mortality rates and improvements in nutrition indicators. However, anemia among children increased to an alarming level of 67.1%. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) surveys highlighted a stagnant rate of school enrolment between 2020 and 2021. Furthermore, the Covid-19 pandemic has had severe effects on children, restricting their access to education, nutrition, development, and child protection.
The Way Forward
A shift towards an outcome-based approach for child budgeting, standardized reporting in CBS, regular monitoring and audits of child-related schemes, and enhancing the capacities of government officials working on child-oriented initiatives are necessary steps to address the current issues. The government can develop a comprehensive framework in consultation with states and domain experts to make CBS an effective instrument for ensuring accountability.
